Excavating apparatus



Jan. 17, 1939. J E, LONG 2,144,246

EXCAVATING API ARATUS Filed Oct. 26, 1937 5 SheetsSheet 1 In ven to'r Aiiorneus Jan. 17, 1939. J; E. LONG EXCAVATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 26, 1957 .a Sheets-Sheet 2 4 i I In uentor J E'. [1022; v r

- Attorneys Jan. 17, 1939. v JJ-E. LONG" 2,

} 'EXCAVATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 26, 1957 a Sheets-Sheet s Ai iorneys together with a frog device .9 for guiding the shovels 5 and 6 as they passone another in going to andfrom the loading device 8.

Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE :EXCAVATING APPARATUS John Edwin Long, Springtown, Ark. Applic tion flotober 26, 19.37, Serial No. 171,108

6 Claims.

- vation into motor trucks, wagons, or like vehicles.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an excavating apparatus a loading device which is portable and may be readily moved from place to place. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved means for loading dirt or the like into wagons, and including a hopper together with means for supporting the hopper of the loading device at desired elevated positions.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the excavating apparatus.

Figure 2 is a perspective view thereof; and

Figure 3 is a perspective-view showing the excavating shovels and a frog for guiding the shovels as they pass one another.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, it will be seen that the excavating apparatus comprises generally a pair of excavating shovels 5 and 3, respectively, an operating cable I for the s v ls, and a d ng device 8 for loading the dirt into wagons, motor trucks, or the like;

The loading device 8 comprises a wheel supported frame consisting of front and rear axles Ill and l I, respectively, on the ends of. which are the traction wheels l2 and I3, respectively.

The wheels l2 are mounted On the ends of the front axle Ill so as to swing either to the right or left for steering the device and are connected to gether through the medium of a cross-rod N that has a suitable connection with a draft tongue 15,

one end of which is pivoted to the fixed part of thereof with vertical rows of spaced apertures for selective alignment with opposed apertures provided in the lower guide 19, whereby to accommodate pins ,22 to secure the post sections 20. at the desired position of adjustment.

Suitably mounted in the frame 2| is a hopper 3 Which is opened at the top and bottom thereof. c t

For the bottom of .the hopper 23 there is providcd :a slide closure 24 that is supported by a pair of rails 25 to move back and forth along the rails 25 into and out ofposition beneath the bottom ofthe hopper 23.

Movement of the slide valve 24 to .a closed position is'limited through the medium of a flanged stop plate 26 that is supported by and extends between the rails 25 at one side of the hopper 23.

Rails 25 are mounted between a pair of crossbars 27 that connect the post sections 20 in pairs.

It will thus be seen that by adjusting the post sections 23 relative to the post sections l1 hopper 23 may be secured at the desired elevation to permit a wagon or motor truck body to pass thereunder to receive dirt discharging through the bottom of the hopper.

For operating the valve 24 there is provided a hand lever 23 pivoted at one end to an end member of the frame 21 as at 29, and the lever 28 intermediate its ends is connected with the valve 24 through the medium of a link 30 that at one end is pivoted to the valve plate and at a relatively opposite end is pivoted to the lever 28, as

clearly shown in Figure l. n

Pivotally connected with the axle II is a lonitudinally extensible frame structure 3|.

Frame structure 3| comprises a pair of side 3 bars 32 which at one end are pivotally connected with the axle H through the medium of straps 33. t

The frame members '32 converge toward one another at their free ends and slidably associated with the frame members 32 are frame members 34. r

The frame members 34 work through guides 35 provided therefor on the free ends of the frame members 32, andat one end thereof the 4 guides 36 of the frame members 34 and disposed at a suitable incline is a chute 39. Chute 39 is secured to the frame members 34 through the medium of angle plates 40, 4|.

At one end thereof the sides of the chute 39 have extending therefrom outwardly curved guides or extensions 42 which serve to guide the excavating shovel 5 or 5, as the case may be, as said shovel approaches the chute 39.

To hold the excavating shovel with the discharge end thereof in proper position relative to the chute 39, there is provided a retaining bail or yoke that straddles the chute 39 and is secured at its ends to the converging ends of the frame members 34, as shown.

The manner in which the excavating shovels are used in conjunction with the chute 39 and associated parts will be hereinafter more fully detailed.

As shown in Figure 2, there are mounted on the frame 2| at the front and rear ends of the frame sheaves 43 over which is trained the cable 1. Cable 1 is also trained over a sheave 44 journaled in a sheave block 45 equipped as at 46,

whereby the sheave block 45 may be anchored at one end of the ditch being excavated and at a point remote from the filling device 3.

Further, in accordance with the present invention, the aforementioned frog assembly 9 is positioned in the path of the shovels 5 and 6 at a point intermediate the sheave block 45 and the filling device 8.

The frog assembly 9 includes an anchoring plate 41 that is anchored in position through the medium of spikes 48. Intermediate its ends the frog member 49 is pivoted tothe anchoring plate 41 as .at 59 and swinging movement of the frog 49 in either of two directions is limited through the medium of a chain or other flexible element 5| of suitable length.

3 It will thus be seen that in excavating a ditch the shovels 5 and 6 move back and forth between the sheave block 45 and the wagon loading or filling device 8. Thus, it will be seen that as one shovel, for example the shovel 5, moves towards.

path as the shovels 5 and 6 approach one another, so that the shovels may readily pass one another, and as the shovels move out of engagement with the ends of the frog'49, said shovels regainthe usual path of travel and their alignment. 7

As the shovel with dirt thereon approaches the chute 43, guides 42 assist in guiding the shovel towards the chutev 39, and the pull on the shovel will result in the discharge end of the shovel riding upwardly of the chute 39 to lodge itself between the chute and the said retaining bail in a manner clearly suggested by broken lines in Figure 1. Obviously, further pull on the cable 1 will cause the frame structure 3| with the shovel now' engaged with the chute 39 in the manner shown in Figure 1 to swing vertically upwardly to the dotted line position also shown in Figure 1. Obviously, with the parts in the last-named position, the dirt will discharge from the shovel and be guided by the chute 39 into the hopper 23.

When it is desired to load the dirt in the hopper 23 into a wagon or truck, the latter moves under the hopper and valve 24 is slid into an open position permitting the dirt to discharge through the bottom of the hopper into the box of the wagon or truck, as the case may be. Obviously, as each shovel 5 or 6, as the case may be, is thus emptied, slackon the cable associated with said shovel is permitted so that the frame 3|;and associated parts may swing downwardly to the full line position shown in Figure 1, and the parts are then in position to receive onto the chute 39 the next shovel for the dumping of said shovel.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of an -excavating apparatus of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1.- In an excavating apparatus of the character described, means for loading the dirt from the excavation into a wagon, said means comprising a Wheel supported structure including corner posts having fixed and movable sections and inter-engaging means on the fixed and movable sections for securing the movable sections at the desired position of vertical adjustment, a hopper mounted on said structure and having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a valve plate for said opening, means for moving the valve plate to an open position to permit said discharge of the contents of the hopper through said bottom opening, a frame pivotally mounted at one end to said Wheel supported structure, a shovel receiving'chute mounted at an incline on the free end of said frame, said frame being swingable Vertically to position said chute and a shovel engaged therewith in position to discharge the contents of the shovel into said hopper.

2. In an excavating apparatus of the character described, means for loading the dirt from the excavation into a wagon, said means comprising a wheel supported structure including corner posts having fixed and movable sections and inter-engaging means on the fixed and movable sections for securing the movable sections at the desired position of vertical adjustment, a hopper mounted on said structure and having a discharge opening in the bottom thereof, a valve plate for said opening, means for moving the valve plate to an open position to permit said discharge of the contents of the hopper through said bottom opening, a frame pivotally mounted at one end to said wheel supported structure, a shovel receiving chute mounted at an incline on the free end of said frame, said crane being swingable vertically to position said chute and r shovel engaged therewith in position to discharge the contents of the shovel into said hopper, in combination with an excavating shovel, an operating cable for said shovel, and pulleys mounted on said wheel supported structure and over which said cable is trained.

3. In an excavator of the character described, a pair of excavating shovels, a single operating cable for said shovels and connected therewith for normally moving said shovels in reverse directions relative to one another and in a single path, a device adapted to be arranged in the path of said shovels to be engaged by the shovels as they approach one another for diverting the said means including an anchoring plate and a horizontally swinging frog pivoted intermediate its ends to said plate, together with a flexible member of suitable length anchored at one end to said anchor plate and secured at a relatively opposite end thereof to said frog for limiting swinging movement of the frog in either of two directions.

4. In a vehicle loading device of the character described, a supporting structure including four corner posts each of which includes a relatively fixed post section and a second post section slidably mounted on the fixed post section, together with inter-engaging means on said post sections for holding the vertically movable post sections in the desired positions of adjustment, 2, frame structure supported by said movable post sections, a'hopper mounted in said frame, crossbars connecting said movable post sections in pairs, 3. pair of spaced apart rails supported between saidcross-bars, said hopper having the bottom thereof terminating adjacent said rails and being open, a closure valve plate for the open bottom of said hopper mounted on said rails for sliding movement therealong, mechanism connected with said slide plate for moving the latter into and out of position beneath the bottom of said hopper, a longitudinally extensible frame pivoted at one end between a pair of fixed post sections, a chute rigidly mounted at the free end of said frame to swing with the frame into a position overlying said hopper, and means on the free end of said frame and disposed in operative position to said chute for cooperation therewithv to secure a shovel engaged with the chute and at an angle to the chute, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a vehicle loading device of the character described, a supporting structure including four corner posts each of which includes a relatively fixed post section and a second post section slidably mounted on the fixed post section, together with interengaging means on the post sections for holding the vertically movable post section in the desired position of adjustment, a frame structure supported by the movable sections of saidcorner posts, a hopper mounted on said frame, cross bars connecting the movable sections of said corner posts in pairs, a pair of spaced apart rails supported between said cross bars, said hopper having the bottom thereof terminating adjacent said rails and being open, a closure valve plate for the open bottom of said hopper mounted on saidrails for sliding movement therealong, mechanism connected with said slide plate for moving the latter into and out of position beneath the bottom of said hopper, a longitudinally extensible frame pivoted at one end between a pair of fixed post sections, and a chute rigidly mounted at the freeend of said extensible frame to swing therewith into a position overlying said hopper.

6. In a vehicle loading device of the character described, a supporting structure including four corner posts, each of which includes a relatively fixed post section, a second post section slidably mounted on the fixed post section and interengaging means on the post sections for holding the vertically movable post section at the desired position of adjustment; a frame structure supported by the movable sections of said corner posts, a hopper mounted in said frame, cross bars connecting the movable sections of said corner posts in pairs, a pair of spaced apart rails supported between said cross bars, said hopper having the bottom thereof terminating adjacent said rails and open, a closure valve plate for the open bottom of said hopper mounted on said rails for sliding movement therealong, and mechanism connected with said slide plate for moving the, latter into and out of position beneath the bot-* 

